Every organization dealing with information processing eventually faces the challenge of securely storing confidential data and preventing its leakage. The importance of this issue for a company depends on the potential damage a data breach could cause. The greater the risk of loss from a data leak, the more rigorous the protective measures should be. These measures can range from establishing internal policies and installing Data Loss Prevention (DLP) systems to adopting a Zero Trust approach or creating Air Gaps, which involves physically isolating critical network segments from external access.
Isolating secure networks to prevent data exchange with other segments is crucial, particularly for industrial infrastructures and various process control systems like DCS, PLC, SCADA, state-owned companies handling regulated data, and commercial entities involved in innovative projects. However, the concept of an Air Gap is not entirely foolproof. This is mainly because even a fully isolated infrastructure must occasionally interact with the external world. For example, controller firmware needs regular updates, confidential commercial or government data requires refreshing, and outcomes of product designs often have to be presented to the public.
